Dude Looks Like a Lady

Okay, so I'm not really a pet lover. I'm sure you already know that about me. Brad is exactly 95% less enthused about pets as I am (severe allergic reactions may have something to do with that). But we were adopted by this funny little kitten that showed up in our back yard in June and refused to leave. After a couple of weeks of wishin' and hopin' that the cat would go back where it came from, and a couple of weeks of listening to the kids fall hopelessly in LOVE with this funny little creature, I finally broke down in a moment and weakness and let them feed it a can of tuna. Well, obviously, if there ever was a chance of the cat leaving before that moment, we had just put that notion to bed. Okay, whatever, we can have an outside cat. Fine. I can handle that.

Well, Kate named her Mittens. She's been a sweet cat, very mellow, and only tried and succeeded in sneaking into the house a few times. The kids have enjoyed her immensely.

Brad and I thought we had better get her to the vet for the basic shots and "the operation" so we didn't end up with lots of little Mittens' running around. So last week I loaded her up in the car, picked Kate up from school, and headed to the vets. During the exam the nurse became completely perplexed as she looked at the cat. First she confirmed what we thought, that Mittens is a girl. Then she took a second, third, and fourth look. Then she started probing around (something I'm just not willing to do). Pretty soon she found a boy part, but not the accompanying boy parts (please don't make me say it). She was very perplexed so she called in the vet, who came to investigate. Long story short, after some intense yowling on Mittens' part it was determined that SHE is a HE, and if you want to get really technical, an IT.

He came to us as a kitten, but apparently was just old enough to be neutered before he showed up on our doorstep. So, a big THANKS to whoever fixed Mittens, (who is now known as Mitt around these parts!). We are relieved to know that we won't have anymore little furballs running around here!

Just as a sidenote: Kate was so distressed while they were examining Mitt. She tried so hard not to cry, but couldn't quite hold in her emotions. She is such a sweet, sensitive, caring little thing. She really ADORES animals. She'll probably have a houseful when she's an adult. Poor little kid, she's got a couple of meanies for parents! Just to prove what a gem Brad is, though, he's agreed to build a cat house for Mitt so he can survive the winter. Kate is elated!

Welcome Winter!

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Scouter-Boy

Todd earned his Webelos badge last week at pack meeting. We're so proud of his efforts. He'll earn his Arrow of Light sometime later this month in preparation for entering Boy Scouts next month. I can't believe he's almost finished with Cub Scouts. Time does indeed fly.

**A Special thank you to Kate for her awesome photography. :)

5th Grade Field Trip

Do you remember the thrill of "Field Trip Day" at school? I do, so it was really fun to relive those memories as Todd prepared for his 5th Grade trip to Craters of the Moon National Monument. I was going to accompany him, but Brad managed to get the day off so they could spend the day together. Talk about a great dad!!! Todd was so excited to have him along. They had a great day together. Enjoy the pictures. :)

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Uncle James Came to Visit!

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A Peaceful Sunday Morning Idea

I don't know how many of you have had the opportunity to listen to the Mormon Channel radio station. I LOVE it!!!! Rather than listening to the station live, I have my list of favorite features that I just download and listen to at will. These segments are available as podcasts that can be downloaded into any number of programs including iTunes. You can subscribe and iTunes will continue to download new podcasts every time they become available.

One of my kids' favorite things to listen to is the Scripture Stories podcast. A moderator meets with a group of primary aged children and they read stories from the scripture readers, then discuss the lessons learned, the feelings and motivations of the people in the stories, and the decisions we make in our lives that are like the decisions faced by those people. All my kids enjoy this, but Kate (7) especially loves it. She sits with her reader and follows along, answering the questions posed by the moderator right along with the kids on the podcast! It's adorable, and very gratifying watching her learn to know and love the people in the scriptures. It is emphasized quite often that the people in the scriptures are real people, which is such an important concept in this age of cartoons.

For the adults in the house, some of my favorite podcasts are "Legacy" and "History of the Hymns". We are so blessed to have this wonderful resource. If you're so inclined, take a minute to subscribe and enjoy a peaceful Sunday morning, afternoon, or anytime.

More Vacation Pictures

Alright, fair warning: THIS SLIDESHOW CONTAINS 144 PICTURES OF OUR VACATION TO YELLOWSTONE. Feel free to skip through if you don't have time to watch the whole thing. :)

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